The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has released the Visa Bulletin for March, which reveals no changes in the final action dates or filing dates for family-based Green Cards. This marks the first Visa Bulletin under the Trump administration. The unchanged dates for final action and filing have left many family-based Green Card applicants disappointed as they continue to face long wait times. The filing and final action dates for March mirror those from the previous month, essentially a “copy-paste” of the prior bulletin.
Since September 2023, U.S. Green Card holders’ spouses and unmarried children under 21 have not been allowed to concurrently file their I-130 petitions and I-485 Green Card applications. Applicants must first submit the I-130 petition, and only after the priority date becomes active can they file the I-485 application. This change has added further delays and frustration for families hoping to reunite.
For U.S. citizens’ unmarried adult children living in the U.S., if their priority date is before September 1, 2017, they will be eligible to file the I-485 Green Card application in March. Similarly, for Green Card holders’ spouses and unmarried children under 21, those with priority dates before July 15, 2024, can file, as well as unmarried adult children of Green Card holders whose priority dates are before January 1, 2017. Married children of U.S. citizens with priority dates before July 22, 2012, and U.S. citizens’ siblings with priority dates before March 1, 2008, can also file for their Green Cards within the U.S. in March. USCIS has confirmed that the filing dates in the Visa Bulletin are considered the dates for filing Green Card applications.
For applicants outside the U.S., they must wait for the final action date to become current before they can schedule their immigrant visa interview at a U.S. embassy. According to the March Visa Bulletin, U.S. citizens’ unmarried adult children must have a priority date before November 22, 2015, and Green Card holders’ spouses and unmarried children under 21 must have a priority date before January 1, 2022. Green Card holders’ unmarried adult children must have a priority date before May 22, 2016, while married children of U.S. citizens need a priority date before July 1, 2010. U.S. citizens’ siblings must have a priority date before August 1, 2007.
Currently, Green Card holders’ spouses and unmarried children under 21 are facing wait times of over three years to receive their visas. U.S. citizens’ siblings are facing a wait time of 17 years and six months, while unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens are waiting 9 years and 4 months. Unmarried adult children of Green Card holders are waiting 8 years and 9 months, and married children of U.S. citizens are waiting 14 years and 7 months for their visas or Green Cards.
The final action date and filing date differ for China (mainland-born), India, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
